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Princeton Northwestern Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Harvard Duke Colgate Yale Dartmouth WUSTL| University of Chicago | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 18,339 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #8 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uchicago.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,801 | $65,204 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,801 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,221 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,979 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,877 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 46% | 51% |
Admission |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 38,631 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 1,849 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.8% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 87.9% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1570 | 1480/1560 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 92% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $98,500 | $98,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 86% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,500 | $12,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $149 | $124 |
Diversity |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 26% | 20% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 41% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 11% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 10% | 8% |
Students |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 12% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 55% | ||
Campus |
UChicago | Cornell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Cornell University is larger than than UChicago based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 18,339 students)
UChicago vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UChicago or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 2.2% more expensive to attend than UChicago for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $63,801.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Cornell than University of Chicago ($65,204.00 vs. $63,801.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than UChicago ($26,455 vs. $27,979)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 3.6% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($18,554 vs. $19,221)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than University of Chicago (51% vs. 46%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Chicago students is 3.8% larger than aid received Cornell University ($58,877 vs. $56,741)
UChicago vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UChicago or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or UChicago .
- The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 78 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
- Incoming UChicago students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Cornell (32)
- Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cornell (3.9)
- Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (8.2%) than UChicago (4.8%)
UChicago vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UChicago or Cornell? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cornell and UChicago.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than University of Chicago (93% vs. 92%)
- Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $100 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $98,400)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UChicago graduates. ($12,000 vs. $14,500)
- Cornell graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than UChicago graduates. ($124 vs. $149)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UChicago students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/